Why They Came
To leave one country to live in another.
What is "emigrate"?
A symbol of America, freedom, and opportunity that immigrants saw when they arrived in New York.
What is the Statue of Liberty?
Which parts of Europe did most of the "Old Immigrants" come from?
Possible Answers:
Northern/Western Europe, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Scandinavia.
An apartment building, often overcrowded and poorly kept, usually in a city.
What is a tenement?
A person who has strong feelings against immigrants and wants to ban further immigration.
What is a nativist?
The movement of people from one country to another with the intention of settling there.
What is immigration?
Most immigrants from Europe arrived here to be processed. Also known as the "Island of Tears."
What is Ellis Island?
Which parts of Europe did most of the "New Immigrants" come from?
Possible Answers:
Eastern/Southern Europe, Poland, Austria, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Italy.
An object made by a human being, typically an item of cultural or historical interest.
What is naturalization/ to naturalize?
To treat people harshly or cruelly and deny their rights.
What is persecution?
Name three reasons why early immigrants had a difficult and long voyage.
Possible Answers:
Overcrowded ships, long voyage, dangerous waters, many got sick on the way.
How were the Old and New immigrants different in terms of religion?
Most of the Old immigrants were Protestant, but most of the New Immigrants were Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Jewish.
Possible answers:
New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco.
The idea of immigrants becoming American, mixing together, and living side-by-side.
What is "the melting pot"?
Name four reasons why people left their own countries to settle in America.
famine, overcrowding, war, poverty, persecution, jobs, farmland, reuniting with family, becoming rich.
Name three reasons why the voyage became easier by the early 1900s.
Possible answers:
The voyage became faster, cheaper, ships were now made for passengers instead of cargo
How were Old and New Immigrants different in how they assimilated to America?
Possible Answers:
Old immigrants were more likely to speak English, lived among other Americans, and assimilated quickly. New immigrants were less likely to speak English well, lived in immigrant neighborhoods, and didn't assimilate as quickly.
In the 19th century, which decade was immigration to America at its lowest? Why?
From 1861 to 1870, because of the Civil War.
What is a first, second, and third generation American?
First Generation- the immigrants
Second Generation- the immigrants' children
Third Generation- the immigrants' grandchildren
In the 1840s, there was a famine in Ireland that led many Irish to immigrate to America. What do historians call this famine?
What is the Irish Potato Famine?
What is Angel Island?
Why did New Immigrants find it more difficult to earn a living than the Old Immigrants?
Most Old Immigrants could speak English and were skilled laborers. Most New Immigrants didn't speak English as well and were unskilled laborers.
In 1882, a law was passed that banned Chinese immigrants. What was the name of this law?
What was the Chinese Exclusion Act?
What is the meaning of "E Pluribus Unum"? How was this idea a "pull" for immigrants? Explain in detail.
Means "out of many." Originally, it meant out of many states, we created one country. It took on a new meaning later on. Out of many people around the world, they came together and became Americans. This idea attracted many immigrants.